Pregnant Ashley Graham Lands a Solo 'Vogue' Cover: 'I Have Dreamed of This Moment my Entire Career'
Dreams do come true! And Ashley Graham knows a thing or two about that.
The former Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model and mom-to-be can officially mark solo Vogue cover off of her career bucket list! The pregnant goddess graces one of four covers of the January issue of the fashion magazine.
"I have dreamed of this moment my entire career since I was a catalogue model living in Nebraska two decades ago," Ashley wrote alongside the gorgeous image. "Thank you @voguemagazine and #AnnaWintour for embracing a conversation around pregnancy and motherhood, which can be both incredibly exciting and also isolating.
"The community and support I have discovered along the way has been incredible," she continued. "And to share this monumental moment with my son and husband in the pages of Vogue could not feel more special."
“I’ve never been thin, so I don’t even know what that feels like. But I’ve had people tell me I needed to lose weight,” she revealed to the magazine. “I’ve tried every diet known to man, but they don’t work, because I’m a curvy woman — a big-boned, healthy, corn-fed Nebraska girl. It is who I am. And once I accepted that, the more confident I became, and that’s when my career really started to take off.”
She also spoke about her pregnancy and the unexpected loneliness she felt before finding a community of other pregnant women.
“I’ve always had control over my body — when everyone else wanted to dictate what it should be, I took full control over it — but I had this life inside of me saying, ‘It’s not yours anymore, it’s mine.’ And you have to just succumb," she explained. "And I felt like I didn’t have anyone to talk to.
"I was gaining weight rapidly. And I felt alone," she continued. "And the one piece of advice that my stylist, Jordan Foster, gave me was, ‘Make pregnant friends.’ None of my friends were in relationships, let alone pregnant. And now I have nine pregnant friends.”
See all of Ashley's gorgeous photos from SI Swimsuit 2018:
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by milkbaby bikini by Cat Thordarson.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Morgan Lane.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Top by Honey Punch. Swimsuit by Ola Vida.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by milkbaby bikini by Cat Thordarson.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Salty Mermaid.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by IZTALI SWIM.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Sports Illustrated Swim.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Ola Vida.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Top by Honey Punch. Swimsuit by Ola Vida.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Salty Mermaid.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Indah Clothing.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by milkbaby bikini by Cat Thordarson.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Swimsuits for All x Ashley Graham.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by PEIXOTO.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Ola Vida.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by milkbaby bikini by Cat Thordarson.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Morgan Lane.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Salty Mermaid.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Sports Illustrated Swim.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Top by Honey Punch. Swimsuit by Ola Vida.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Swimsuits for All x Ashley Graham.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by IZTALI SWIM.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Swimsuits for All x Ashley Graham.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Ola Vida.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by PEIXOTO.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Swimsuits for All x Ashley Graham.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Ola Vida.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Swimsuits for All x Ashley Graham.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Morgan Lane.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by TAVIK.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by INC Swim.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Top by Honey Punch. Swimsuit by Ola Vida.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Swimsuits for All x Ashley Graham.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by PEIXOTO.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Top by Honey Punch. Swimsuit by Ola Vida.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by Swimsuits for All x Ashley Graham.
Ashley Graham was photographed by Josie Clough in Nevis. Swimsuit by TAVIK.